Leading Narratives

  "One of the most overrated thoughts out there is that if you weren't a great player, you can't be a great coach...it's a big fallacy."-- Frank Martin, Head Basketball Coach at South Carolina.  Tom Crean's playing career didn't extend beyond high school ball but that hasn't prevented him from reaching the upper echelon of the coaching ranks. More than 10 years ago, when Crean was at Marquette, a prospect informed the coach that he would be signing elsewhere because he wanted to learn from someone "who had actually played the game. I took it as a slight,"  Crean said. "It motivated me. I told him, 'You do what you want, but when we play you, make sure you pay attention to the double-teams we put in place to keep you from scoring. The kid redshirted his first year and hardly played the year after that. He eventually became a decent player, but we won a lot more against his team than we lost. I think I made my point." Study ...

  Remember you are always six months away from being fired. Coaching is all about what have you done for me lately? If most AD’s gave the coach they fired what they gave the coach they hired they would’ve never had to fire the first coach. A coaches death trap is a new athletic director & a new president, be certain not to invest in a new home! Update your resume! We have all heard about the coach who had 5 years of 100% grad rates, no violations, no character problems with the players yet was still fired for losing. Very few coaches understand the vital importance of the contents of their contracts, well worded ones can make it difficult to fire you! A coach who enters contract negotiations without professional representation is not smart. Most of the people sitting around an interview table are not experts on the game, you’re the expert conduct yourself in that manner. You must educate the uneducated. All job interview committees will have 2 types of people: those ...

When you interview for a job, the interview must be interactive—they question you–you question them–whoever asks the best questions wins. Always enter an interview with a list of pre-scripted questions that you will ask during the interview. Here is a great strategic interview question: Can I get in writing a list of your expectations of me as a coach & what you’ll consider success or failure? Be sure you know who will be on the interview committee and do a background check on each person. Be certain to have at least one question for every person on the interview committee. Other questions to ask:  Other than the previous coaches won/loss record what were some concerns that you had with him/her? What are five things that it is imperative that the new coach focus on immediately? Why? What are the most important characteristics you value in your coach?? In your opinion what are the biggest challenges confronting this program? Will I be given adequate amount of time...

Once there was a king who had a monkey as his pet. He loved the monkey very much, fed him fresh fruits from the royal fruit orchards and even dressed him. He trusted his monkey-friend very much. One day the king decided to keep the monkey as his personal guard so that he could have the monkey with him all the time. The king then took the monkey everywhere. Now the monkey loved the king with the same intensity and was very proud and happy at having been appointed as the king’s personal guard. He had decided to carry out his duty with utmost devotion. The king kept the monkey with him all the time so when the king slept the monkey would guard the bed-chamber. He would see that no one disturbed the king when he slept and often fanned the king as he slept. The royal bed-chamber was bedecked with flower-pots and various perfumes and fragrances waft through the rooms.  Attracted by these a bee once buzzed in through an open window as the king took his afternoon nap. As usual, the monkey ...